Electrical block-signal.



No. 854,970. PATENTED MAY 28, 1907. E. S. STOTTS & L. O. DICKEY.

ELECTRICAL BLOCK SIGNAL.

APPLICATION 'IILED AUG.13, 1906.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1 No. 854,970. PATENTED MAY 28, 1907.

B. S. STOTI'S & L. 0. DIGKEY.'

ELECTRICAL BLOCK SIGNAL. APPLICATION FILED AUG.13,1906.

2 SBEETS-SHEET 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. S. STO TTS AND LESTER O. DICKEY, OF OMAHA,NEBRASKA.

ELECTRICAL BLOCK-SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 28, 1907.

Application filed August 18,1906. Serial No. 330,503-

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that we, E'LZA S. SroTTs andLESTER O. DICKEY, citizens of the United States, residing at Omaha, inthe county of The object of the invention is to provide a mechanism ofthis character which will be of simple, compact and comparativelyinexpensive construction and automatic and reliable in o oration. y

T e above and other objects which will ap I pear as the nature of theinvention is better understood, are accomplished by means oftheconstruction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1is avertical sectional view through the improved signal mechanism,showing t e parts in their normal position; Fig. 2 is a side elevation,on an enlarged scale, ofthe signal 0 crating mechanism, showin theposition t at the parts assume when t e sema here or signal is atdangler; Fig. 3 is a detai edge view of the parts s own in Fig. 2; andFig. 4 is a diagrammatic view, showing the circuits for controlling themechanism.

Referrin to the drawings, 1 denotes a signal prefera ly of the semaphoretype so constructed that its blade swings by gravity to 'ahorizontalpdsition to indicate danger and is o erated and held in avertical position to indicate safety, b means of an operating andcontrolling mec anism '2 located in a housing or casin 3. The latterisprovided upon a suitable 'ase 4 of concrete or the like located adjacentto arailway track and has projecting from its top a tubular upright orpost 5, from which t e semalphore is suspended. This semaphore has itslade projecting from a spectacle provided with an arm Gsecured upon theouter end of a shaft 7 journaled in a suitable bearing upon the u ri htor post 5. Upon the inner end of the, a t 7 is a crank arm 9, which isconnected by a rod or link 10 to the mechanism 2 within the housing orcasing 3. .The rod 10 extends through the tubular post 5,"which latterhas its upper end closed by a cap, so that the mechanism and the .innerend of the shaft 7 is rotected from the weather. The outer en of thisshaft and its bearing are protected'by a hood 11 through the open bottomof which extends the armfi of the sema hore.

The weight of the lade of the semaphore 1 is adapted to cause it toswing to a horizontal osition and it is held normally in its verticaposition, to indicate that the track is clear, by means of a holdingdevice 12, consisting of a lever 13, to which the rod 10 is connected bya yoke 14, as clearly shown in vFig. 3. The lever 13 is pivotedintermediate its ends upon a pivot-15 suitably mounted within thecasing3and has upon one ofits ends an-electro-magnet 16, which is included inan electric circuit 17 adapted to be openedby a train as it enters theblock which the signal 1 is adapted to guard. The circuit 17 includesasuitable circuit breaker 18 and a battery or other generator 19, asshown in Fig. 4. The armature 20 of the magnet 16 is in the form of alever pivoted intermediate its ends at 21 in the lever 13. Its long armextends through the yoke 14 and is normally held in contact with thecores of the magnet 16, since the latter is normally energized. Theshort end 22 of the armature lever 20 is normally en aged with thenotched end of a dog 23, whic is suitably pivoted at 24 in the casing 3.A counterweight 25 on the dog swings its notched .end normally into thepath of the end 22 of the armature lever, and its swinging movement islimited by a stop 26. When the armature lever is attracted by'the magnet16, it will be seen that it is rigidly held upon the lever 13, so thatit forms a part thereof, and when its end 22 is enga ed with the dog 23the connecting rod 10 wi 1 be held down so that the semaphore isretained in its safety position. As soon as the magnet 16 is denergizedthe pull upon the rod 10 owing to the weight of the semaphore blade willcause the armature lever 20 to swing upon its pivot 21, therebyreleasing the holding lever 13 and permitting. the latter to swing uwardly as the semaphore blade swings to its orizontal position toindicate danger, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. In order to checkand cushion thedrop of the semaphore, a dash pot 27 is connected to thelever 13 by a rod.28. The dash pot may be of any suitable form andconstruction, but as shown themovement of its piston to which upon theend 22 of the armature lever, so

the rod 28 is connected, is controlled by a screw 29, which regulatesthe escape of air through the vent 30 in the cylinder of the dash pot.

In order to return the semaphore to its safety position when the trainpasses out of the block a motor 3l"is provided Within the casing 3 andincluded in an electric circuit 32, which also'includes a battery orgenerator 33 and a circuit closure 34 adapted to be actuated by thetrain asit leaves the block. .The motor 31is connected by a train ofgears 35 to a gear wheel 36 mounted upon the pivot 15 andhaving upon oneor both sides of its rim one or more projections or ta pets 37. Thelatter are adapted to engage the l aterallyprojecting hook 38 of adetent 39 pivoted that it will sw' inwardly but not outwardly.

detent 39 18 formed with a curved portion, in the path of which'isdisposed a releasing device 40. The latter is fixedly mounted within thecasing 2 and is in the form of a projection or arm having a beveledsurface which engages the detent 39 and forces it inwardly as the end 22of the armature lever passes said releasing device 40.

Theo eration of the invention is as follows:

When t e parts of the apparatus are in their normal position, thecircuit 17 is closed and the circuit 32 open and the signal operatingand-holding mechanism 2 is in the position shown in Fig. 1, so that thesemaphore blade is held vertically. When a train enters a block guardedby the signal 1, the circuit 17 is broken by the train operating thedevice 18 or in any other suitable manner, whereupon the armature lever20 is released, so .that the signal 1 will drop to its danger positionshown in Fig. 2 of. the drawings, as previously explained. As .the trainpasses-out of the block it closes the circuit 32 by operating the device34 or in any other suitable manner, so that the motor 31 will beoperated to turn the wheel 36 in the direction indicated by the arrow inFig.2. As this wheel rotates, one of its tappets 37 engages the hook 38of the detent 39 and swings the armature lever together with the holdinglever 13 on which it is rigidly held by the magnet 16, which is againenergized by the closing of the circuit 17. As the detent 39 engages thereleaser 40, it is swung inwardly to disengage its hook 38 from thetappet 37 and at the'same time permit the notc ed end of the dog 23 toengage the end 22 of the lever 20, thereby holdg 1phe device 12 in itsnormal position shown in 1 a ien be seen that the device is of simple,compact durable and comparatively inexpensive construction and at thesame time .safe and reliable in operation. 'The blade of the semaphorebeing. held vertically or per pendicularly when at-safety has a tendencyto swing to its danger position when any foreign weight is placedthereon, and if a second train should enter the block after one has justleft orbefore the signal has returned to safety and should release themagnets, or if for any other cause the magnets would re-' lease at anytime during or after the return of the signal, then the blade will bereleased and will fall to indicate danger. By providing the tappets 37upon both sides of the wheel 36, two or more semaphores may be operatedby the device.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of this invention, as defined .by theappended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Let tors-Patent, is:-

1.. In combination with a signal tending to move to its danger position,of means for holding it normally in its safety position comprising aholding lever, an electro-magnet thereon, an armature for said magnetpivoted upon said lever, and a keeper for engagin said armature lever.

2. n combination with a signal tending to move to its danger position,of means for holding it normally in. its safety position comprising aholding lever, an electro-magnet thereon, an armature for said magnetpivoted upon said lever, a keeper to engage said armature lever, andmeans for moving said lever .into engagement with said keeper.

3. In combination with a signal tending to move to its danger position,of means for holding it normally in its safety position compr sing aholding lever, an electro-magnet thereon, an armature for said magnetpivoted upon said lever, and a swinging dog to engage said armaturelever, a rotary element, a tappet upon said element, a detent carried bysaid armature lever and disposed in the path of said tappet, and areleasing device to engage said detent and disengage it from saidtappet.

4. In combination with a signal tending to move to its danger position,of means for hold-' ing it normally in its safety position comprising 'aholding lever, an electro-magnet thereon, an armature for said magnetpivoted upon said lever, a swinging dog to engage saidarmature, a rotaryelement, a tappet upon said element, a detent .carried by said armatureand disposed in the path of said tappet, a releasing device to engagesaid detent and disengage it from said tap et, a circuit breaker, anelectric circuit inclilding said magnet and said circuit breaker, amotor for operating said rotary element, a circuitcloser, and anelectric circuit including said. motor and said circuit closer,substantially as described. v

5. In combination with a signal, tending to move 'to its dangerposition, of means for holding it normally in its safety position,comprising a holding lever, a dash-pot coacting therewith, anelectro-magnet carried by the lever, an armature for the magnet pivotedupon the lever, a swinging dog to engage the armature, a rotary element,a tappet upon the element, a detent carried by the armature and disposedin the path of the tappet, a, releasing device to engage the 'detent anddisenga, e it from the tappet, a circuit breaker, an e ectric circuitincluding the magan electric circuit including the motor and 15 thecircuit closer.

In testimony whereof We have hereunto set our hand in presence of tWosubscrlbmg Witnesses.

' ELZA S. 'STOTTS.

LESTER O. DICKEY. Witnesses:

R. A. STREETER, WM. R. LINDLEY.

